Organisation Mission - Revisited

Piles Be Gone!

Way back on the 21st Jan I was on a mission to organise my space, to make life simplier.  You see when my space is organised when things get crazy.........................and I mean rush home from swimming, get dinner on, do reading with the boys while entertaining Miss 2 busy. It is much easier if I can just grab the books we need to read or give Miss 2 an enticing busy bag.

I started small with my desk and the kitchen bench. My aim to have clear working spaces each night for the next day.

Well I started off great but we are now two months down the track and I have started to slide down the slippery slope into the depth of pile kaos.  So my promise to me this week is tidy working spaces at the end of each day.  Desk, table and bench as these are the spaces we function in all the time and if they are organised it makes it so much easier to get things down when 100 things are going on at once.

Snow Play in the Sun

Miss 2 was given some frozen figurines not long ago so I decided it would be fun to make snow.  So with the help of google we had all we needed to make snow and it was much easier than I thought.

All it takes is:

Hair conditioner

Bi Carb Soda

Put your Bi Carb Soda in a bowl or on a plate and then pour hair conditioner in and mix it with your hands til you have a consistency that you can mould or build with.

I have no idea what chemical reaction happens here or what the molecules are doing but it not only looks like snow, it is cold too........ some science magic going on there!  We even went and collected pebbles and sticks to make a snowman.

Mr 5 and 7 loved this to, but warning if you are a neat and tidy person (so not me) you might want to spread a bit of plastic on the floor.  We have easy to sweep flours so I didn't bother.

The snow can be kept in the fridge in a container and re-used.

Remniscing Over Birthday Cakes

 

Pinterest and some creativity and chima loving Mr 5 got Chima World this year.

Today I am reminiscing over 7 years of birthday cakes.  Mr 7 turned 7 a few weeks ago, so we have been celebrating and as I sat up late decorating a cake it brought back memories of the last seven years including the many cakes I have decorated over the years........some pretty good others that make me laugh!

My most recent effort makes me laugh.  It was meant to be 1/3 Yoda, 1/3 Dark Vada and 1/3 R2D2.........mmmmmmmmm. 

This is one of my favourites Miss 2's first birthday

Everyone loves the Women's Weekly Birthday Cook book

Nemo I dreamed this one up I think

It's meant to be Toothless for my dragon loving boy

Again the Women's Weekly Birthday Book has the goods

For Miss 2 who loves to jump on a trampoline

My very first birthday cake ever!

How funny is this BMX track............mmmmm maybe I should stick with the Women's Weekly Cookbook.

Puff Paint - Magic in the Microwave

We are still working through book 150 + Screen Free Activities for Kids by Asia Citro.

Here's our version of her Magic Expanding Paint.

I got organised on this one, which in itself spiked the interest of my kids as I got things out without telling them what we were doing.

I had a bowl for each of them, a spoon, measuring cups and spoons and all the ingredients.

And then I told them what they needed in there bowl.

• 1 cup of flour
• 1/4 cup baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup water
• and they each picked a colour

They stirred away which for Miss 2 meant using her hands a lot.

Then we put the paint into icing bags as we didn't have zip lock bags or squeeze bottles

And squeezed them onto paper.

Then we popped our pictures into the microwave at 15 second intervals and watched the magic happen.

And our masterpieces we not only fun to look at but fascinating to touch

Fun Family Fitness

We are lucky enough to live in a place where it is easy to get outside and enjoy our natural environment.  Our family have done a lot of nature play over the years.  From our house we can walk to a lake, the beach, along the sand dunes.  That is why we live in a small duplex because our location is sooooooooo great!

Years ago......wow it seem like a lifetime, I was a primary teacher who dreamed up and started a business call Activation Fun Family Fitness.  It was all about family's learning physical skills to play sport and taking part in fitness together.  We all now we are our kids role models and yes we are also there role models when it comes to physical skills and fitness.  I have always played sport netball, dancing, running and even now I exercise most days, as much for my mental health as well as my physical health.  Yep family fitness is a little bit of a passion of mine so I am going to start a weekly post of simple family fitness or physical skills that are easy to do with kids.

This morning we headed out to climb a mountain.  Yep we packed the kids, the back pack for the 2 year old, water and snacks in the car. Drove 20 mins and started our climb of a small Mountain.  It was fun for all. 

We stopped and checked out all the cool things we found on the way.

 I remember playing with sap for hours as a kid

 We chatted as we went.

 Miss 2 amazed us as she took off up what is, a relatively steep mountain.  We had the back pack but she went up 3/4 of it on her own.

 We sat up the top and enjoyed the view and had a snack before we started our trip down.

And an extra bonus is that now all three kids are very content playing at home.

Here's our tips for making a bushwalk or mountain walk easy with kids.

Wear runners or closed toe shoes (amazing how many people were walking up a steep rocky path in thongs) it makes walking easier for the kids

Go in the morning when everyone is fresh and full of energy

Don't rush the walk let your kids be curious it will be fun for you and them

Start small you don't have to climb a mountain the first time around find a short walk near you.  Just google bushwalking tracks in your state and you will find one nearby

http://www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/experiences/bushwalking/

Pack light we just take a back pack for Miss 2, a water bottle for each of them and a snack

Put suntan cream on before you go so you don't have to carry it

Hope you enjoy a bushwalk soon!

Somedays

Today is a Someday.

And here is my Someday Song.  Have a listen and you will know what sort of day I am having.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIZ4RfLeO-U

Awake since 4:30am.

No morning exercise, it was hubby's turn which is great he deserves it but on any day exercise is my magic potion even when I am tired it helps turn a someday around.  It is my 30 minutes in the morning to think without anyone intruding on my thoughts.  A chance to get my head together, sort a plan if I need one and I seem to walk back in the door a little more on top of things.

I managed a plan which involved school drop off, me and Miss 2 being at the park and then body balance at the gym which helped my someday. 

But it is my Someday Song that is really making me feel better.

Do you have a Someday Song

Thanks to The Waifs tomorrow won't be a SOMEDAY!

Paw Paw Chutney

A friend of ours had their Paw Paw tree blown over in the wind.  So there were lots of free green paw paws being given away.  We grabbed a couple and on the weekend made Paw Paw Chutney.  We would never buy green paw paws so this is a little something delicious that only ever happens when we stumble upon some green paw paws.

Paw Paw Chutney Recipe (Recipe from a neighbour)

• 1kg of green Paw Paw
• 1kg sugar
• 100g of preserved or crystallised ginger (I use naked ginger)
• 1 cup of Sultanas (I am always generous on these)
• 6 Cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 600mls of white vinegar
• 2 small Chillies

Finely chop Paw Paw, ginger and chillies
Put all ingredients except sugar in a pot
Bring to boil and simmer til Paw Paw is soft
Add Sugar and simmer steadily for 45 minutes (or add jam setter and boil rapidly as per instructions.  I never have jam setter so I always just simmer for 45 minutes)

This simple chutney gets my kids eating things they usually don't eat.  You just dip it in chutney.  It's been at least 3 years since we had any so bring on meals with Paw Paw Chutney.